Celebrations showcase best of Beijing's districts

Host of themed events to educate and entertain throngs of tourists

To celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on Jan 29 this year, Beijing is set to launch an array of nearly 10,000 cultural activities aimed at creating a vibrant, festive, and heartwarming holiday atmosphere, local officials said.

These activities will encompass a mix of traditional festivities such as temple fairs, lantern shows, garden parties, and cultural performances, alongside innovative offerings like ice and snow entertainment, immersive audiovisual experiences, and modern industry tours.

"The number and scale of this year's temple fairs, lantern shows, and garden parties will all be expanded compared to last year's events, with a richer variety of forms and content," said Huo Zhijing, deputy head of Beijing's publicity department and director of the local Film Administration.

In addition to traditional favorites like the Ditan, Longtan and Changdian temple fairs, visitors can look forward to exploring lantern fairs, science-themed temple fairs, and fashion showcases. Districts including Chaoyang, Haidian, Tongzhou, Changping, Huairou, and Pinggu will host folk-themed temple fairs, adding to the festive tapestry.

Throughout the Spring Festival period, major theaters, key museums, and parks across the city will be fully accessible to the public. A total of 2,736 high-quality performances, 175 museum exhibitions and cultural experiences, and more than 200 park-based cultural activities are slated to take place, offering rich entertainment options for residents and visitors.

Given that winter is the prime time for ice and snow sports, Beijing's districts are gearing up to host more than 1,000 indoor and outdoor ice and snow sports events during the festival period, Huo said.

For instance, iconic locations such as the Summer Palace and parks like Beihai, Taoranting, Zizhuyuan, and Yuyuantan will host enchanting ice and snow garden parties, while the National Stadium will continue its tradition of Happy Ice and Snow Season activities.

To enhance the festive spirit, "the Beijing Bureau of Sports is distributing 30,000 ice and snow consumption vouchers, with ski resorts such as Huaibei, Yuyang, Shijinglong, Nanshan, and Jundushan offering discounted tickets for thrilling experiences," Huo noted. The initiative aims to infuse Spring Festival with elements of speed, passion, dynamism, and vitality for all participants, she added.

In response to public demand, various entities and enterprises across the city are collaborating to curate an array of Spring Festival activities, ranging from traditional corporate carnivals to modern industry tours and bustling Spring Festival goods markets.

Highlights include Xiaomi Auto opening its workshops for public tours and orange soda drink retailer Beibingyang (Arctic Ocean) showcasing its intelligent production lines at a culture park in Daxing district, allowing visitors to engage in the process of making soda and bread.

As part of festive preparations, Beijing is enhancing its Spring Festival landscape decorations. More than 260,000 lanterns and decorations will adorn more than 1,000 main streets and nearly 3,000 alleys, with more than 250 landscape installations planned. Special landscapes will grace 22 business districts, including Wangfujing, Xidan, Guomao, and Sanlitun.

Moreover, Spring Festival-themed light and shadow shows will illuminate 10 landmark areas such as the Olympic Tower, the central business district, and Zhongguancun, enveloping the city in a joyous and celebratory atmosphere.

The 2025 Spring Festival is the first celebration following its inscription on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

The Beijing Bureau of Culture and Tourism has emphasized focus on showcasing the cultural essence of the Central Axis and the unique aspects of Spring Festival intangible cultural heritage.

The approach aims to provide both residents and visitors with an authentic encounter with the spirit of the Chinese New Year through the lens of intangible cultural heritage, the bureau said.

Xicheng district, for instance, will integrate the significant elements of the Central Axis and the Spring Festival to present four vibrant celebrations, including Shichahai Lake Ice and Snow Carnival and Changdian Temple Fair.

Additionally, the district will leverage its scenic spots, cultural and museum venues, performance centers, and residential communities to host more than 200 festive cultural events and 700-plus commercial performances.

haonan@chinadaily.com.cn